Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 22 August 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Which one of the following statements is not correct about “far side of the Moon”?

1. It is known as the “dark side of the Moon”
2. It is only visible from the pole of Earth.
3. China has successfully landed a probe on far side.
4. Mission Chandrayaan 3 aims to explore the lunar surface near the south polar region.

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 21 August April 2023

Explanation:

ISRO has released images of the far side of the lunar surface captured by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC) of Chandrayaan-3.

• Option (2) is the correct answer: The “far side of the Moon,” also known as the “dark side of the Moon,” refers to the hemisphere of the Moon that is not visible from Earth.
• It is not visible from Earth because the Moon is tidally locked with Earth.
• Tidal locking means that the Moon rotates on its axis at the same rate that it orbits the Earth, hence from Earth only one side of the moon is visible permanently.

Until now, only China has successfully landed a probe on the far side of the Moon.

• China’s Chang’e 4 mission achieved this historic feat when its lander and rover touched down on the far side of the Moon in January 2019.
• The rover, named Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit 2), conducted scientific observations and explored the lunar surface on the far side.

India’s ISRO attempted to land the Vikram lander from its Chandrayaan-2 mission on near side of the moon in the south polar region at a latitude of about 70° south on 6 September 2019, but unfortunately, the landing was not successful. Recently launched, Chandrayaan 3 is targeting a landing site at 69.37 degrees’ south latitude and 32.35 degrees’ east longitude, near the lunar south pole. This means that Chandrayaan-3 is going to land on the near side of the Moon, not the far side. Mission Chandrayaan 3 aims to explore the lunar surface near the south polar region. Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) is an instrument installed on Chandrayaan-3 to carry out the measurements of thermal properties of lunar surface near polar region.

Q) With reference to the Status of Agriculture sector in India, consider the following statements:

1. Currently, more than 90 percent of the total land holdings in India are in small and marginal size groups.
2. Currently, the overall agricultural mechanisation level in India is less than fifty percent.
3. According to Periodic Labour Force Survey Report 2021-22, more than 50 percent workers are female in the agriculture sector at the pan-India level.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

The farm machinery industry in India is predicted to increase from ₹9,200 crore in the financial year 2022 to ₹15,000 crore in the financial year 2026.

• Statements 1 is incorrect but Statement 3 is correct: Currently, about 86% of the total land holdings in India are in small and marginal size groups. Most of the workforce in agriculture in India are females, and the usage of machines can reduce their work burden and increase their efficiency. Nearly 63% workers are female in the agriculture sector at the pan-India level, according to the annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Report 2021-22.
• Statement 2 is correct: Farm mechanisation an essential component in the growth of sustainable agriculture in India especially in the context of diminishing agricultural labour. Utilizing appropriate machinery can significantly boost farm productivity, potentially increasing yields by up to 30% while reducing input costs by approximately 20%. The standing committee on agriculture, animal husbandry and food processing (2022-23) released a report on ‘R&D in farm mechanisation for small and marginal farmers in the country’. According to it, currently, the overall agricultural mechanisation level in the country is around 47% which is lower than that of other developing countries such as China (59.5%) and Brazil (75%).

Q) Consider the following statements about Hurricanes:

1. It is a temperate cyclone rotating around an area of low pressure
2. It form over warm ocean waters when the sea surface temperature is typically above 26 degrees Celsius.
3. Hurricanes originating in the eastern Pacific, often near the central Mexico coastline, generally follow a west-northwest trajectory that take them away from the coast.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation:

Hurricane Hilary has been recorded as the first tropical storm to hit the Southern California in 84 years.

• Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct: A hurricane is a tropical storm rotating around an area of low pressure, which produces strong winds and heavy rain. It form over warm ocean waters when the sea surface temperature is typically above 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). However, Hurricanes cannot emerge if the upper-level winds are strong as they “destroy the storms structure by displacing the warm temperatures above the eye and limiting the vertical accent of air parcels.
• Statement 3 is correct: Hurricanes are also known as cyclones or typhoons in different parts of the world; the term used depends on the region. In the Atlantic Ocean and eastern North Pacific, they are called hurricanes, while in the northwestern Pacific, they are referred to as typhoons, and in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, they are known as cyclones. Trade winds play a crucial role in directing hurricanes towards the east coast. The same winds divert them away from the west coast. Hurricanes originating in the eastern Pacific, often near the central Mexico coastline, generally follow a west-northwest trajectory that take them away from the coast.

Q) Consider the following statements about Alzheimer Disease:

1. It is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills.
2. Leqembi is the first Alzheimer’s antibody treatment developed by Biogen and Eisai.
3. Donanemabt is a drug being developed by Bharat Biotech to treat people with early Alzheimer’s disease in India.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

The Food and Drug Administration of US has fully approved Alzheimer’s treatment by Leqembi- a new category of medications.

• Statements 1 is correct: Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. It is caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and the available treatments mainly focus on managing symptoms and slowing down its progression.
• Statement 2 is correct: Leqembi is the first Alzheimer’s antibody treatment developed by Biogen and Eisai to receive full FDA approval. The treatment by Leqembi slowed cognitive decline from early Alzheimer’s disease by 27% over 18 months during the clinical trial.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Moreover, Donanemab is a drug being developed by U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly to treat people with early Alzheimer’s disease.

Q) Consider the following statements about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):

1. It is a regional grouping that was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok.
2. The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the member countries.
3. If ASEAN was a country, it would be the seventh-largest economy in the world.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation:

Recently, India and the ASEAN countries reached an agreement to review their free trade pact for goods and set a 2025 goalpost for concluding the review aimed at addressing the “asymmetry” in bilateral trade.

• Statements 1 is correct: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional grouping that was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Statement 2 is correct: ASEAN is headed by a chair—a position that rotates annually among member states—and is assisted by a secretariat based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Statement 3 is correct: If ASEAN were a country, it would be the seventh-largest economy in the world, with a combined GDP of $2.6 trillion in 2014.
• By 2050 it is projected to rank as the fourth-largest economy.
• Home to more than 622 million people, the region has a larger population than the European Union or North America.
• It also has the third-largest labour force in the world, behind China and India.

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